A Trip Down Memory Lane - In Search of Parrot Crossbills

30th November 2017

After the reasonable success with the Parrot Crossbills at Santon Downham, time to try our luck with the other flock at Wishmoor Bottom on the Surrey/Berkshire border. As we walked down to the heath we were informed that there had been 20 birds present at 9.00am, but that they had all gone off on their circuit at 10.0am, but would probably be back by the time we got there. Wrong!!!

We arrived at the site where about 20 birders were looking around aimlessly for the returning birds but to no avail. In fact it must have been half an hour later that I saw two birds fly back into the top of one of the pines without calling. One of the birds went deep inside, but the other bird, a cracking male Parrot Crossbill, perched right on top for at least 15 minutes allowing a number of shots to be taken.

It then dropped into the tree and for the next 20 minutes there were only glimpses of the male and the other bird, a female, as they fed on the cones but largely obscured. They then flew off and were never seen again. So what different fortunes from the two different sites. At Santon Downham the birds were always present and it was a trade-off between distance and light, whereas here we got close up to a single bird in superb light for just 15 minutes and nothing else. However, mustn't grumble.

Here are the shots I managed.

19th December 2017

This winter has seen an invasion of Parrot Crossbills with flocks of up to 20 birds being found in Suffolk, Norfolk and Berkshire. However, on the 18th December Barry Reed was in Broxbourne Woods when he came across three Parrot Crossbills, two males and a female, feeding in the pines just south of Monks Green. I was in Cambridgeshire at the time, but next morning went down there to join a dozen or so birders to enjoy these birds, a new species for Hertfordshire.

The lone female was nowhere near as photogenic as the two males and was out of view for much of the time, but I did manage to get this shot.

However the males, apart from being far more photogenic, were more obliging and were on view for most of the time, and what better backcloth than blue sky and pine needles?

Just look at that bill!!

Just to think that I have spent the last three weeks travelling around Norfolk, Surrey and Berkshire to photograph Parrot Crossbills and then three turn up just 2.25 miles as the Parrot Crossbill flies from my house!!!